You Can't Be Too Strong
Graham Parker & The Rumour Lyrics


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Did they tear it out with talons of steel
And give you a shot, so that you wouldn't feel?
And washed it away as if it wasn't real?

It's just a mistake I won't have to face
Don't give it a name, don't give it a place
Don't give it a chance, it's lucky in a way
It must have felt strange to find me inside you
I hadn't intended to stay
If you want to keep it right, put it to sleep at night
Squeeze it until it could say

You can't be too strong
You can't be too strong
You can't be too strong
Can't be too strong
You decide what's wrong

Well I ain't gonna cry, I'm gonna rejoice
And shout myself dry and go see the boys
They'll laugh when I say I left it overseas

Yeah babe, I know it gets dark, down by Luna Park
But everybody else is squeezing out a spark
That happened in the heat, somewhere in the dark, in the dark

The doctor gets nervous completing the service
He's all rubber gloves and no head
Yes, he fumbles the light switch, it's just another minor hitch
Wishes to God he was dead

But you can't be too strong
You can't be too strong
You can't be too strong
Can't be too strong
You decide what's wrong

Can't be too hard
Too tough, too rough
Too right, too wrong




And you can't be too strong
Baby can't be too right

Overall Meaning

The song "You Can't Be Too Strong" by Graham Parker & The Rumour is a deeply personal and emotional exploration of a traumatic experience that the singer had gone through. The song's lyrics deal with an abortion that the singer's partner went through, and the feelings of guilt, regret, and grief that he experienced as a result. The first verse of the song paints a picture of a brutal and clinical abortion process, with language like "talons of steel" and "washed it away." The second verse has the singer questioning whether the experience was even real or just a mistake. The third verse is about the aftermath of the abortion, with the singer trying to keep the memory of the experience at bay by not giving it a name or a place.


The chorus of the song features the lines "You can't be too strong / You can't be too strong / Can't be too strong / You decide what's wrong." The use of the word "strong" here is significant, as it suggests that the singer is trying to be strong in the face of his emotions and pain. The repetition of the phrase also emphasizes the idea that there isn't one "right" way to react to trauma, and that individuals need to decide what works for them.


One interesting interpretation of the song's lyrics is that they can be seen as a commentary on the societal pressure that men experience to be "strong" and not show vulnerability. The singer's attempts to keep his emotions in check and not give the experience a chance could be read as an example of this pressure. Additionally, the doctor in the song is described as being "all rubber gloves and no head," which could be seen as a metaphor for the way that men are expected to keep their emotions in check and be logical instead of emotional.


Line by Line Meaning

Did they tear it out with talons of steel
Did they forcefully remove it with extreme aggression?


And give you a shot, so that you wouldn't feel?
Did they sedate you to numb the pain?


And washed it away as if it wasn't real?
Did they try to erase the memory of what happened?


It's just a mistake I won't have to face
This is a mistake I can move on from


Don't give it a name, don't give it a place
Don't dwell on it or it'll consume you


Don't give it a chance, it's lucky in a way
It's a good thing it happened, considering the circumstances


It must have felt strange to find me inside you
I imagine you were surprised to encounter me in this way


I hadn't intended to stay
This wasn't planned, nor did I plan to remain


If you want to keep it right, put it to sleep at night
To maintain order in your life, put it to rest


Squeeze it until it could say
Hold it tight but don't let it consume you


You can't be too strong
You cannot be too vigilant or take too much control


Can't be too strong
You cannot be too vigilant or take too much control (repeated line)


You decide what's wrong
You determine what's incorrect in your life


Well I ain't gonna cry, I'm gonna rejoice
I won't cry over this, I'll find something positive to celebrate


And shout myself dry and go see the boys
I'll cheer myself up then go hang out with my friends


They'll laugh when I say I left it overseas
My friends will find it amusing to hear I abandoned it abroad


Yeah babe, I know it gets dark, down by Luna Park
I'm aware that things get challenging, especially in the dark, but it's okay


But everybody else is squeezing out a spark
Other people are managing to stay positive despite the challenges


That happened in the heat, somewhere in the dark, in the dark
Something transpired amidst extreme passion and mystery


The doctor gets nervous completing the service
The physician appears uneasy about his role in the situation


He's all rubber gloves and no head
He looks the part of a scientist, but lacks the decisive leadership skills


Yes, he fumbles the light switch, it's just another minor hitch
He's clumsy and causes small setbacks


Wishes to God he was dead
He wishes he could make amends or terminate his role in the situation


Can't be too hard
It is important to maintain mental strength and avoid being too fragile


Too tough, too rough
Make sure to avoid becoming too insensitive or uncaring


Too right, too wrong
Avoid being too righteous or doing wrong themselves


Baby can't be too right
Do the right thing consistently, no matter how difficult it may be




Lyrics Š BMG Rights Management
Written by: Graham Parker

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@Tundigirl

...But you can't be too strong
You can't be too strong
You can't be too strong
Can't be too strong
You decide what's wrong
Can't be too hard


Too tough, too rough
Too right, too wrong
And you can't be too strong
Baby can't be too right



@zhtod

Did they tear it out with talons of steel
And give you a shot, so that you wouldn't feel?
And washed it away as if it wasn't real?

It's just a mistake I won't have to face
Don't give it a name, don't give it a place
Don't give it a chance, it's lucky in a way

It must have felt strange to find me inside you
I hadn't intended to stay
If you want to keep it right, put it to sleep at night
Squeeze it until it could say

You can't be too strong
You can't be too strong
You can't be too strong
Can't be too strong
You decide what's wrong

Well I ain't gonna cry, I'm gonna rejoice
And shout myself dry and go see the boys
They'll laugh when I say I left it overseas

Yeah babe, I know it gets dark, down by Luna Park
But everybody else is squeezing out a spark
That happened in the heat, somewhere in the dark, in the dark

The doctor gets nervous completing the service
He's all rubber gloves and no head
Yes, he fumbles the light switch, it's just another minor hitch
Wishes to God he was dead

But you can't be too strong
You can't be too strong
You can't be too strong
Can't be too strong
You decide what's wrong

Can't be too hard
Too tough, too rough
Too right, too wrong
And you can't be too strong
Baby can't be too right



All comments from YouTube:

@dommccaffry3802

Squeezing out sparks is one of the greatest albums of all time, and should have propelled graham to global success. There you go. Sometimes the best stuff does'nt make it through the gates. And sometimes the less than great stuff does.

@holaizzy

Pure truth

@josephobenauer3093

Hands down, the most powerful song ever. A subject no one would dare approach. Genius.

@ArchambaultMark

So powerful. I play solo acoustic shows. Sometimes I play this late in my set if no one is listening. Once a woman about my age approached me afterwards with tears in her eyes. She knew the song and said 'thank you'. No other words needed.

@TomHaneyArtwork

Just wow.

@luciusmichael

One of the greatest albums. Period.

@arneemilbredland2339

Couldn`t agree more.

@mrjayad1

This is one of my stuck on a deserted island albums. Every track is sheer genius

@patricecatanio901

Me too!

@thejmhaag

Tricky subject for anyone to address publicly, let alone in song form, let alone further a song as great as this. He makes the ugly mix of emotions around it into a thing of wistful beauty. Just goes to show what a criminally underrated songwriter Graham Parker is.

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